Bella's Curse
by karma anika
Summary: Bella is cursed to be a shapeshifter she just doesn't know it yet.
1. My pack

**DISCLAIMER- I don't own twilght or any of the charaters apart from Scarlett,Peter and Carl**

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Bella POV

I love running with the pack. I felt my tail swish happily behind her. We were on the trail of a vampire. Carl my sort of boyfriend was running next to me. Scarlet my best friend was on her other side. There it was that flash of white. The end of the chase was inevitable. We all changed back into our human forms. We were in some lush meadow. "Come on let's go back we've clearly run the rest of them off." Scarlett shouted.

"I'll stay here a bit it's quite nice and I need a rest" I said as the others faded away into the forest. As they left I lied back on the soft grass. Maybe staying in Forks wouldn't be so bad. My friends the ones like me had come down from Phoenix with me. There are four of us in total. We all change into different animals, but we can still only change into one other form. First there's Scarlett who is our sort of leader, she can change into a tiger. Peter can change into a Lion. Carl can turn into a panther, and I can turn into a Leopard. We have all joined the local high school and have most of our lessons together. I wonder what the people are like here.

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**Sorry this chapter is short but the next one will be longer I promise :) **


	2. A new school

**DISCLAIMER- Clearly I don't own twilight (I'd be alot richer if I did)**

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Edward POV

We're coming back to Forks. The old wolf pack doesn't seem to be around but we'll keep to the treaty till we're certain. I ideally thought about what the school was like. Probably just as boring as the rest I concluded. I listened into what the others thought.

"_I wonder what the hospital is like. I hope Esme likes it here." Carlisle._

"_This is quite a nice place, and there is a nice little cottage out the back for me to renovate." Esme._

"_Huh this place looks so boring, and there are no decent shops round here!" Alice._

"_Alice is annoyed. Probably at the lack of shops, maybe I should cheer her up." Jasper. _

"_Hum, should I buy a new dress for the school dances, if we attend any." Rosalie._

"_Jasper is so going to get it for that joke, just wait till I find him." Emmett._

I glance out the window. Its begun to rain, sighing I walk over to the piano and begin to play.

Bella POV

A drop of rain landed on my nose, disturbing my sleep. Growling in frustration I got up, and shake any water off and raced home. I'm now living with Charlie, while the rest of the pack share some house on the edge of the wood. Soon after I arrived, I immediately found that Charlie's cooking skills were lacking, to say the least. So I' am now officially in charge of cooking. When I get home I find Charlie sitting on the sofa watching baseball "Hey dad I'm just about to start making dinner. Steak and potatoes okay?" I asked as I wandered into the kitchen to start cooking the steak.

"Yeah that's fine just yell when it's ready." He called.

"Sure thing dad." As I washed the plates from dinner; I thought about what to wear tomorrow for school. I wanted to appear cool but not completely obsessed with what I'm wearing. Finally I choose a light blue wool jumper, some scruffy jeans and my black wedges. My outfit chosen I go to the bathroom and have a shower, using my lavender shampoo (they were all out of the strawberry flavour that I normally use.) I go back into my bedroom switch on my i-pod and go to sleep. The next morning I was woken up by my alarm clock at six in the morning. I groaned school; still at least I had my truck to get there in. Charlie gave, well presented it to me when I arrived. It was an old red Chevy truck that, looks like it can take a hit from anything. I can't call it new but it's new to me.

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**Sorry this chapter isn't too long either but I swear I will try and make the next one longer (if only by abit) **

**Hope you like it and reviews are welcome :)**

**Bye xx**


	3. First day

**Sorry that this story hasn't been updated for ages but the website wouldn't let me update but I will try to update soon :)**

**Disclamer: I don't own twight of any of the charaters (except for Scarlett, Peter and Carl)**

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Bella POV

I had just finished eating breakfast, and was going upstairs to brush my teeth when my phone rang. It was Scarlett. "Hey Bell do you want us to pick you up for school we can be round in ten minuets if your ready."

"No it's fine I'd like to drive myself into school today but thanks any way." I said as I tried to find the toothpaste. "Ok that's fine bye".

"Thanks bye" I hung up and brushed my teeth. I was driving quite slowly so as not to miss the turning for the school. Though as it turns out I didn't need to worry, the school, like everything else, seems to be just off the main road. As I parked just outside reception I was met by Scarlett. "Hey I hope you weren't thinking of slinking of like that. Come on receptions this way Peter and Carl have already gone to their first lesson but I said I'd wait for you." As she said this she led me to one of the maroon coloured buildings. Scarlett chatted to me as we walked down a little stone path lined with dark hedges. I reached the door first and opened it. Inside I found myself in a warm, brightly lit room. It had a long counter and sitting behind it was a very flustered looking woman. "Oh hello what is it you need?" she asked as she began to put some files away. "Hi I'm Bella Swan and this is Scarlett Tigre." I said while she rifled through files. "Yes I have both of your files here. Now you're both in the same classes for the first few lessons." She got us both a map and showed us the best way round. We didn't need it but we both appreciated the gesture. We were also given a slip that had to hand to our teachers and given back to her at the end of the day. As we left for our first lesson Scarlett started to compare timetables with me. We both had English, art and P.E together. "Not too bad considering the boys only have one class together today." Scarlett said as we walked into building 3 for our English lesson. We hung our coats just inside the door, and walked in. We handed our slips to Mr Mason, and were sent to an empty desk at the back of the room. The reading list was basic. I tried to pay attention to what Mr Mason was saying but I ended up talking to Scarlett instead. The lesson finished and me and Scarlett said good bye and I headed to my government class. I was soon ambushed by a blond haired boy "Heya I'm Mike and you must be Isabella. What class have you got next?"

"It's Bella and I've got government next." I smiled sweetly at him. As I continued to my next class I was also joined by Eric and Taylor. I had nearly reached my class when I saw Carl leaning against the wall just outside my class. "Hey Bells I see you've attracted your usual crowd of followers. Haven't you told them you have a boyfriend?" He grinned teasingly at me as he put his arm round my shoulders, sniggering at the others boy's obvious discomfort. We walked into class together, with Mike and Taylor following behind. The rest of the mornings lessons passed in much the same way. I made friends with a girl called Angela and Jessica although I got the distinct idea that she was only friends with me for convenience. They both invited me to eat with them at lunch but I declined the offer. I went to sit with Scarlett, Carl and Peter. We had a table to ourselves. We were chatting about nothing just like everyone else in cafeteria, when Carl growled under his breath, too low for anyone else to hear, but all of us stopped talking and scanned the room for danger. Peter spotted them first. They were all sitting in the far corner of the cafeteria there were five of them in total. They were all beautiful. I didn't expect anything else, they here vampires after all. We saw one of them get up and take her unopened soda and uneaten apple up to the counter. She had short inky black hair and golden eyes. Golden eyes that was odd, normally they only ever have red eyes. Still now would be a good time to leave before they found out who we were. Scarlett apparently had the same idea. We dumped our trays and left.

Edward POV

Sigh restarting high school again. I waited as the rest of my family piled in the Volvo. Rosalie and Emmett were the last in. As we drove off to the high school I found myself ideally thinking of what became of the old wolf pack, they certainly weren't here any more. When we walked into the school I found myself bombarded by thoughts of some new students at the school. There were four of them two boys and two girls. The day passed in a state of boredom. At lunch I saw the new students. I tried to hear there thoughts to check for any signs of danger. They're thoughts were foggy, there was something odd about them almost animal like. Then to my utter amazement they all got up and walked out without eating anything. I would have to keep an eye on them.

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**Hi I'm really sorry about the lateness of this update but I will try and update soon :)**

**Please review your comments are valued ;)**


	4. Biology and a strange occurrence

**Hi this is the next chapter I was going to write it tomorrow but I decided you had waited long enough. So here it is**

**Disclaimer: I don't own twillight**

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Bella's POV

We went out of the cafeteria and into the forest at the edge of the fields. Scarlett immediately took charge. "Right first of all does anyone have any of them in your lessons?" Scarlett asked I tell she was trying to calm herself down.

"No none of us have had them in our lessons. We would have noticed them otherwise." Peter answered for all of us.

"Okay if any of you have them in your next lessons tell me straight away." Scarlett said. We had just come out of the trees when I realised that none of us had eaten anything. As we walked back towards the school the bell went signalling the end of lunch. We hurried to our respective classes I met up with Angela on her way to Biology II. "Hi which class do you have next?" Angela asked.

"Biology II same as you." I answered smiling at her. We reached the class when I noticed it. They were here or at least one of them was. I walked cautiously round the door. There he was the bronze one. He had a table to his self. Hardly surprising no human would want to sit near a vampire. As I handed my slip to Mr Banner I mentally told/messaged Scarlett, Peter and Carl, about the vampire. While Mr Banner handed my slip back, and told me to sit next to the vampire, apparently his name is Edward Cullen, Scarlett and the rest told me not to worry and to dampen my scent. I slid into my chair next to him and immediately dampened my scent. It stops us from being scented by vampires and other creatures. I glanced at him through my hair as I got my books out. The look of sheer concentration was replaced by a look of utter confusion. I grinned secretly to myself. It would take him a while to work out what I was doing. As tempting as it might be to undampen my scent, my sense of self preservation overruled any idea of doing that. I tried to concentrate on the lecture, but I had already covered it in Phoenix. Plus having a vampire sitting next to me was incredibly distracting. The lesson dragged on for what seemed like ages. I really should have eaten lunch today; sitting next to a vampire had my on hyper alert all the time. I was using up loads of energy. Finally the lesson ended and Edward barely walked out of the room. I could tell it was using all his effort to run at human pace. As I walked out the class I was met by Scarlett, Peter and Carl. "Are you okay? We saw him he practically ran out of the class. Right we have gym next you can tell me about it then. Gym seemed to go really quickly and soon I was in the car park heading for my truck. Me and the pack were going to the forest later. We always feel caged and constrained in our human forms.

Edward's POV

I walked to Biology II still wondering about the new students. There was something not quite human about them. I sat at my table, no one sat next to me. The humans had enough sense to stay away from me, even if they didn't know why. I lifted my head one of the new students came in. It was one of the girls she had brown hair and brown eyes. Bella I picked her name out of Mike's head. I watched her as she walked in and handed her slip over. That was when the first wave of her scent hit me. I couldn't believe the power of it. It took all my strength just to stay in the seat, and not jump up and kill her. Oh no she was coming to sit next to me. Her scent flooded my senses when she sat down, and then it just disappeared. I took a cautions sniff nothing. I glanced over to the chair next to me. She was still there, but I couldn't smell her. I tried to shove the problem to the back of my mind, but I had already listened to the same lecture countless times before. The lesson seemed to take longer than usual. Finally it finished I gathered my books and rushed out the classroom. I needed to ask Carlisle about what had just happened. As I went out the door I saw the other new students. They glared at me before anxiously checking inside the class but one of the boys keep his gaze trained on me. There was something wrong here very wrong. I f Carlisle couldn't shed some light on what was happening here we would have to move.

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**I hope you like this chapter sorry it's short but I feel the next part needs its own chapter**

**Please read & review (that's right the little button there)**

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	5. Decisions

Sorry for not updating for ages but my Grandad died and I've just been so busy

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any charters (other than Carl, Peter and Scarlett)**

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Edward's POV

I drove back paying no attention to the speed limit, and being glad that one of the very few benefits of mind reading was that I didn't have to worry about speed cameras. Not that the fine for speeding would have troubled us. Finally I reached the house, well small mansion, may have been a better way to describe the place. I found Carlisle in his office as usual. I hurriedly explained what had happened. How they didn't seem human, I couldn't read their minds, and how I couldn't smell Bella's scent once she sat down. He looked thoughtful for a moment, and then said "I think I've heard of something like this before." He opened a new tab on his computer and typed in two words. Shape shifters. He scrolled down several entries till he found the one he wanted. "Ah here it is this was written by my friend who had several run ins with these shape shifters, till he was eventually was killed by a pack of them." I quickly read what it said. 'Shape shifters are humans with the ability to change into one or more animal forms; they can also dampen their scent making it impossible to smell them. They are very territorial, and will nearly always kill any vampire, or other supernatural being on their ground. All of their senses are more heightened and developed than normal humans. They are nearly immortal, as they stop aging, but at different times with no apparent pattern. They can be killed by two ways. Though they have a very strong sense of kinship and family, and the death of one of their pack is not something they will easily forget.' Well at least it explained what happened in biology, but it didn't fill me with confidence either. "I suggest we call a family meeting Edward." Carlisle turned to me and I nodded this was a serious threat.

Bella's POV

We went to the forest after school, to discuss the vampires and what to do. We met in the clearing again. "Right" said Scarlett "scout the area I don't want any of them listening into our conversation. Bella, Carl check south and east of here but just to the roads okay. Me and Peter will take north and west." We all changed to our animal forms and set off. We had agreed to meet back in twenty minuets. Carl chatted to me about books and films that he'd read or seen. It always amazed me how he knew exactly how to make me feel at ease, as he talked about the most trivial things. I felt myself relax relieving some of the tension I didn't even know I had. We found a faint scent of vampire as we scouted the area, but it was weeks old at least. Once we got back to the meadow Me and Carl started playing tag (which is a lot more fun when only the tops of trees are bases). After about ten minuets Scarlett and Peter arrived. Unfortunately I had just jumped off the top of on off the trees to escape Carl and kinda accidentally landed on Scarlett's tail. "What are you doing!" Scarlett shrieked. "Sorry Scarlett we were just playing tag and I didn't notice you" I apologised.

"Well I guess it didn't hurt too much but can we be serious now." She asked. We all nodded our heads. "Okay so as we know there is a coven of vampires here. So any ideas on what to do?"

"I say we stay here and see how things go." Peter said he was always the most rational out of all of us.

"Well I think we should move immediately especially as Bella's in danger." Carl announced. That irritated me I could look after myself as well as anyone else. I didn't need protecting, plus I felt that I had handled biology perfectly. "Excuse me but I' am perfectly capable of looking after myself you know. I wasn't killed in biology was I." I glared at him defiantly. "Well no but it's still an unacceptable risk, we have to move." Carl answered back. Scarlett interrupted before things could get worse.

"Okay calm down lets put it to a vote, all those for staying." Me and Peter raised our hands. "Alright and those for leaving." Scarlett and Carl raised their hands.

"Tiebreak." Peter said.

"Well Bella your most at risk so its your decision." Scarlett said.

"I choose to stay here. We can defend ourselves and I want to spend more time with Charlie." I announced.

"Okay but one of us will be with you at all times. I don't doubt you capabilities, but I couldn't bear it if something happened to you because of me. In fact that goes for everyone we should stay in pairs at least." Scarlett decided. I didn't like it but it was the best I was going to get. We all agreed, Scarlett would stay at my house or I'd go round to theirs. None of us would be alone.

"I still don't like it." Carl claimed. Scarlett glared at him before continuing her talk.

"Well its Bella's choice so just go with it. Now Bella, I think you should stay round our house for the next two nights, just to be safe. Then I'll stay at your place for a bit." Carl nodded, and with that we left the forest. Scarlett went with me, to tell Charlie I'd be spending the next couple of nights at their house. While Carl and Peter went straight back to get my room sorted. When I got back I started cooking tea for Charlie, while Scarlett explained about the sleepover. I served tea and went to collect my things. We left at eight and took my truck there. I was amazed at their house it was just off the road and was a small four bed roomed log cabin. When I went in I found that the fire was already burning and Snow Patrol was playing through out the cabin. Peter came out of the kitchen with a tray of hot chocolate and biscuits. We all sat round the fire sharing stories and joking around. I was starting to feel tired so I walked up to my bedroom. It was painted in warm reds and oranges, with a small double bed up against one wall with thick red covers and blankets. There was a small washroom with a sink, shower and toilet. I had a quick shower, brushed my teeth and got changed into my long-sleeved pyjamas and curled up under my blankets. Carl came in was as I was drifting off to sleep. He got into my bed next to me and held me close. "I'm sorry about today in the forest, I never doubted you I just didn't want you to get hurt." He whispered in my ear.

"I know and I'm sorry for snapping at you." I whispered back. I pulled the blanket round me closer and went to sleep.

Edward's POV

We had decided to stay here. The vote was 5-1 Carlisle had decided not to vote. As Esme wanted to leave, but he also wanted to find out more about these shape shifters. Emmett had of course wanted to stay along with Jasper, Alice couldn't see any problems but her visions were foggy, and Rosalie went along with Emmett. One thing for sure was that school was about to get considerably more interesting.

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Hope you all like it. It is one of my longer chapters as well :)


	6. Brainstorming

Sorry but as you may have guessed I'm terrible at updating so as a late christmas/new year/apology thing I'll post the next chapter as well

**Disclaimer - I don't own Twilight however all the shapeshifters other than Bella are mine :)**

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Bella's POV

I woke up at 5:30. Carl was still asleep. I pulled my old thick dressing gown on, and crept downstairs to start cooking breakfast. I mixed some pancake batter, and set out plates, cutlery and chocolate sauce. Within 5 minuets of cooking the first batch of pancakes, everyone was downstairs in their dressing gowns, and piling their plates with pancakes, and squabbling over the chocolate sauce. "Hey Scar can Bells stay round here all the time." Peter asked. Scarlett laughed.

"Only if she makes pancakes though."

"Of course." Peter replied. I shook my head and helped myself to some pancakes. After we had all finished, Carl offered to clean the kitchen, while everyone got changed and ready for school. I thanked him and went up to my room. I quickly washed my hair, then brushed my teeth, while wondering what school would be like today. I pulled my clothes on and tied my hair up in a ponytail. "Bella we've got to go." Scarlett yelled up the stairs.

"Okay just coming." I yelled back. I gathered my bag and raced down to my truck Carl locked the front door and tossed the keys to Scarlett. "You'll probably be back before us." He yelled over to us as he climbed into his car. Scarlett caught the keys, and thanked Carl, then climbed into my truck. As I drove us to the school, Scarlett told me about trying to move into all of my classes. She said Peter and Carl were going to do the same. I pulled into the parking lot and walked to the office for the second day running. I sat down and started flipping through some of the magazines. While Scarlett put on her most charming and honeyed tone of voice. I had to try and stop myself laughing. "Would it be possible Mrs Cope if my lessons were the same as Bella's. It's just that I don't know anyone here, and it would be such a comfort if I could have Bella to support me." Scarlett said in possibly the most pitiful voice imaginable. I knew her eyes would be large liquid pools of innocence, and knowing her she'd probably also look, like she was about to cry. This time I couldn't stop myself, a small giggle escaped. I quickly covered it by a coughing fit, but Mrs Cope seemed too distracted with Scarlett to pay me any attention. "Well if you're that uncomfortable, then I'm sure there's something I can do." Mrs Cope said looking quite flustered, and she started shuffling through some papers on her desk. "Well" she said typing into her computer. "Here there's room in Bella's classes, you won't defiantly be sitting next to each other, but you will be in the same classes now." She handed Scarlett's new timetable over. Scarlett beamed "Oh thank you so much you have no idea what this means to me."

"Oh don't worry about it, was nothing." Mrs Cope smiled "Just glad I could help. Scarlett thanked her again then linked arms, with me and we walked out. "I just hope the boys managed to get their timetables sorted." She said to me.

Edward's POV

The school day passed in a blur, until lunch. None of us had seen the new students. Emmett thought they'd moved because they were scared of us; but I'd seen them in the other human's minds. Maybe they were just avoiding us. We sat at our normal table for lunch. The shape shifters weren't here yet. Perhaps they didn't have to eat. Just then they walked in. All four of them were close together, and at least one of them always looked at us. They ate lunch and seemed to be chatting like everyone else. I almost thought they were normal, but then every so often one of them would glare at us. No, I reminded myself, they are far from normal. The bell rang, biology next and ironically chance to study them.

Bella's POV

When the bell rang signalling the end of lunch me, and Scarlett said goodbye to the boys and started walk to biology. Peter and Carl had managed to get their timetables sorted; but I couldn't imagine how they had persuaded Mrs Cope. Both of them look strong and fairly intimidating, not the kind of people who needed comfort from a familiar person. As we walked into our biology class, Scarlett went up to Mr Banner and explained that she'd moved into the class and asking where she should sit and such. I meanwhile sat at my desk and started to unload my books. Finally Mr Banner sent her to work at the back on a desk by herself. Scarlett nodded and walked over to my desk. "Are you okay? I'll be three desks behind you." She muttered.

"I'm fine that's okay if anything happens I can get to you quickly." I said just as the vampire walked in. "Good luck" Scarlett whispered as she went to her desk at the back. I'd just put my bag under the table when the vampire sat down. "Hello." He said I glanced up startled. His voice was so smooth so velvety I could almost imagine… I mentally shook myself, vampire, I firmly reminded myself. "My name's Edward Cullen and you must be Bella." I froze instantly suspicious, how did he know my name? and not only that but my preferred version of it! "How do you know my name?" I questioned studying his face, for any expression that might tell me more about this strange vampire. "Everyone has been talking about you, and the other new students, and your books have Bella written on them." I groaned internally, looking away from his face. Great, even if he wasn't suspicious about us at the start, he sure as hell would be now, and even if he wasn't I had just made myself look like a complete paranoid idiot in front of him; well done Bella two birds with one stone there. I gave up, if Edward knew anything about who we really are, he would, as the countless others had done show it; and with all of us looking out for the signs it would only be a matter of time before we found out. I turned my attention back to Mr Banner, and tried to listen. Once he'd finished his lecture Mr Banner told us to work together and identify different slides. Well at least I'd studied this before, so I might be able to reclaim some dignity. As the slides were handed out I glanced at Edward. Strange he seemed to be staring at me. I was almost suspicious then I remembered that I'd just given him the 3rd degree about knowing my name. Plus considering he was a vampire that probably wasn't the normal reaction he got from girls, when he introduced himself. Finally the lesson finished, Scarlett rushed up to me, as we walked to our next class. "What happened did he hurt you?" She asked.

"Of course he didn't you heard everything he said, and you would have immediately seen if he tried to threaten me." I replied laughing when she pulled a face at me.

"Oh fine I just wanted to hear what you thought of him come on we're going to be late." She said. After school finished we climbed into my truck, Carl and Peter were going to find some of our contacts which had previously been useful in identifying vampires we had encountered. While waited me and Scarlett tried to brainstorm everything we knew about the Cullen's. I started "Okay so they have gold eyes so probably vegetarian. What else do we know?". Scarlett finished writing it down and glanced up. "Well there's seven of them, which is a fairly big coven, so we can assume that one or more of them have a extra ability."

"Okay good point." I noted it down. "I know from Charlie that their leader is a doctor, so he at least must have a very high tolerance for blood."

"Yeah okay can't think of anything else." She sighed "ah its pointless let's just wait for the boys to get home."

"Okay I'll start making tea." I got up and walked to the kitchen while Scarlett went upstairs to listen to her i-pod. I started to make stir-fry chicken, while singing quietly to myself. I'd just finished cooking when Peter and Carl burst in. "What is it?" Scarlett asked coming down from her bedroom.

"You'll never guess what we found out."


	7. Who are the Cullen's?

I would say I will try and update soon be I'm not sure how well I'll be able to keep to that so instead I hope you like it

**Disclaimer - I don't own Twilight though I would have liked to have written it**

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Bella's POV

After Peter and Carl burst in, Scarlett told everyone to be quiet and have dinner first before we started to plan. Thankfully everyone ate fairly quickly as I seemed to be getting hyper on adrenaline. Once we finished talking I needed to run it off. The plates were cleared away, and our piece of paper with mine and Scarlett's limited ideas/facts on it, was placed on the table. Peter started, "Okay as you know we went off to find some of our contacts and ask about the Cullens. As a result we now have quite a lot of information. The most important of which being their extra abilities, and its bad however we have been told of certain gaps or faults in their powers concerning our kind. Three of them have extra abilities."

"Do we know which ones?" Scarlett interrupted.

"Yes one of them Alice can see the future though I have been reliably informed that she cannot see ours, Edward the one in Bella's class" He nodded at me. "Can read minds, however apparently ours are foggy to him, Jasper is our biggest threat, he can control and feel our emotions and sadly, there doesn't seem to be any weakness to his power." Peter stopped here and fetched a glass of water, he drank some then continued. "Carlisle is the leader and all of them are mated except for Edward." I almost smiled at this knowledge, Edward was unattached, wait what am I thinking I quickly shook myself, and refocused on Peter, he had just finished talking about whose mate was whose, and had continued on to the layout of their house and grounds. I nearly sighed knowing Peter he was going to go over every single detail about them and then repeat it just in case we forgot something. I glanced round the room Scarlett was predictably hanging on to his every word, still I suppose as our leader she did need to know this for any plans we would make; mind even she would get bored by the forth run through, and no I'm not joking. It was Carl I pitied most, he was nearly asleep, and looked like he had already heard the same thing countless times. Which considering the fact he was with Peter the whole evening, was probably true.

_**Five hours later**_

Just as I was about to join Carl, who had crashed out on the sofa after hearing the same speech a second time (in my presence), I thankfully heard Scarlett telling Peter that maybe we should get to sleep now. I dragged myself up the stairs still hearing Peter's speech in my head. He'd been about to restart a sixth or seventh time, I wasn't sure I was half asleep by the fourth, when Scarlett mercifully stopped him. He isn't really that bad but on the other hand he had kept me up for way longer that I would have liked and I wasn't feeling very generous at the moment. Finally I reached my room as I walked in and collapsed on the bed I realised I never did get to go for that run.

I awoke to the sound of chipmunks on helium, puzzled for a while, I then realised it was just my alarm, and slowly crawled out of bed to turn it off. There is actually good logic in this, as I find their too squeaky voices pretty bad normally it's about ten times worse in the morning, so I have to get out of bed just to stop the noise. As I went to went to brush my teeth I glanced in the mirror. Aw great just great, my hair just a tangled mess, while my clothes thanks to me not bothering to change last night now had creases so deep I wasn't sure if I could even iron them out. Sighing I brushed my teeth while looking for the hairbrush I use on such occasions. After fifteen minuets of looking I gave up and just used my regular brush. Once I'd finished attacking, sorry brushing my hair and muttering strings of inventive cursing, I had managed to tame it. That's when I noticed that I was also ten minuets late for school, and everyone else had left. I did vaguely remember Scarlett saying something going and seeing me there, but I was coming close to breaking the handle off my brush, and at the time it seemed better to concentrate on trying not to destroy yet another hairbrush, and didn't pay too much attention. Scowling I grabbed a cereal bar and ran to my truck, I then realised that I left my keys in the house. I considered going back for them, but I didn't know where they were, and also realised that I hadn't put any new clothes on. Well that decided it. Instead of driving I would shift and run to school. It would probably get their faster, and I knew I had some emergency clothes in my bag.

Quickly running to the woods at the edge I took my clothes off, and hid them in one of our spots for such an occurrence. Usually I'd just let them rip and such but I was wearing my favourite blue top and jeans. Making sure the clothes and I were well hidden I shifted, and smiled in satisfaction. I loved being a leopard. I was always clumsy as a human, but as a leopard I seemed to have an inner grace that surprised everyone, my mother always said I was too big for my skin, she turned out to be right. Laughing at the memory I delicately picked up my bag with my teeth and ran. Running in the forest is possibly the best feeling in the world, it felt like pure freedom I could go anywhere, run as far and as fast as I want to. Looking down at my golden brown paws with brown rosettes and black outline, I smiled, or as close to smiling you can get when you're a leopard. Personally I thought I looked better as a leopard, Carl of course claimed I looked beautiful as a human or a leopard; but I knew that was just kind flattery, I'm very plain as a human, Scarlett is much prettier. I stopped I was close enough to the school to walk in, setting my bag down I shifted back and quickly put my clothes on, checking the time as I put my watch, I grinned I was five minuets early, now all I had to do was walk down the road and I'd be there.

Merrily walking along I began to wonder if it would be possible to run to school everyday, it was quicker and more exciting than driving. As I walked up to the school gates I decided against it, someone would undoubtedly eventually see me. I made it to my first class with a minuet to spare, I sat down next to Scarlett, somehow she'd managed to convince the boy I was originally sitting next to swap with her. "Glad you made it" she said as I looked for my books, then in a whisper that no one else would hear "Did you shift or take your truck?"

"Shifted it was quicker I wouldn't have made it otherwise" I whispered back as I started arranging my books and sorting out the papers in them. "Okay but you can come back in my car with me we don't want anyone to be suspicious." I nodded and we started to concentrate on the lesson.


End file.
